The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4 (Cursed #3-4) - Rebecca Donovan Page 0,67
the second, “Page Dr. Gregor.” She has a stethoscope pressed to Allie’s chest.
I step back, panic swelling. I’m back in the stairwell with the security guards swarming, ushering everyone out. I can only silently plead for them to help her, now the same as then.
“You two need to leave the room,” another voice demands, a team of people now invading the space.
I stare at Allie’s pale, expressionless face as Joey takes my trembling hand and gently pulls me into the hall. He wraps an arm around me.
“She’ll be okay,” he murmurs into my hair. His voice shakes despite his assurance. “She’ll be okay.”
“What happened?” Mrs. Pixley asks, rushing to us, oblivious to the coffee sloshing from her paper cup.
“I don’t know,” Joey offers weakly. “An alarm went off. A bunch of people are in there now.”
All the color drains from Mrs. Pixley’s face. Joey takes her cup and sets it on the nurses’ station counter as she fumbles for her phone and dials.
“Get here. Right now.” She returns it to her pocket and runs a hand through her hair, sending her neat bob into disarray. “They didn’t say anything?”
Joey shakes his head.
She paces in front of the window to Allie’s room. The curtains are drawn so we can’t see in. She pauses. “You don’t need to stay. It’s probably best if you don’t.”
“Are you sure?” Joey asks, squeezing me tightly.
“Mark should be here in a minute. You shouldn’t be here … if …” She doesn’t need to finish the sentence for its meaning to be clear.
“I’m so sorry,” I try to say, but the words remain tangled in the back of my throat.
I lean on Joey as he leads us to the elevator. When we’re inside, my strength returns, and I move away to stand on my own. The fear morphs into the fury that’s always at the ready to take over. I pace the confined space.
“Where is he?” I demand. “Where the fuck is Vic?” I scream, slamming my hand against the wall. The impact makes a loud, hollow reverberation.
Joey flinches. “I don’t know,” he answers quietly. “I haven’t heard from him since Berlin.”
We’re silent until we’re inside Joey’s Jeep parked in a lot down the street from the hospital.
“What’s Brendan’s number?” I pull out the phone Brendan programmed—without his number in the Contacts.
“Brendan? I don’t have it.”
“Then what’s Parker’s?” I demand impatiently.
“What are you—” He stops himself and rattles it off as I press the numbers.
Parker picks up after a couple of rings. “Hello?”
“I don’t know why the fuck you haven’t turned in the video yet, but it’s time. Or else I’m going to the police and telling them everything I know.” I should’ve reported the truth from the very beginning even if they didn’t believe me. And that’s on me. Not sure how I’ll live with that if Allie doesn’t.
Parker’s silent.
I tilt the phone in my hand to make sure we’re still connected. “You heard me, right?”
“Yes, Lana, I heard you,” Parker says, his voice flat. “How do you know about the video?”
“It doesn’t matter how I know. The fact that you’re sitting on it makes me sick. All to protect your fucking club.”
“It’s not about the club.”
“Then what?!” I yell. “Allie may be dying right now. And you’re holding the one piece of evidence that could give her family answers and set things right. Who the fuck are you protecting?! Please don’t tell me Vic, or I’ll—”
“Brendan.” That one word silences me. I wait for him to explain, but he doesn’t. “I can’t talk about it over the phone. Can we meet up? Are you still at the hospital? I can be there—”
“I’m with Joey. We just left. I’m on my way to my house. Meet us there. I’ll text you the address.”
“I know where you live. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I slam my hand on the dashboard and scream in frustration.
“What just happened?” Joey asks when I drop my head back against the seat.
“Parker’s meeting us at my house.”
“He has a video of what happened?”
I nod, squeezing my fists tight.
“Are you kidding me?” Anger strangles his words. I look over at him, never having seen him this irate before. He’s usually keeping me from losing it. “We have to get it.”
“We will,” I tell him, fury snaking through my body, tightening my muscles.
No matter what happens to me or anyone else involved, I won’t allow Allie and her family to continue to suffer. Vic will pay for this. I’ll make sure of it.